Polly Shorts Academy is an up-and-coming dual medium school which has been giving its all to carve out a niche for itself in the mostly rural Kromdraai area.
Started four years ago in Roodepoort, the vision for the school has altered slightly. When the Educational Department’s regulations changed a few years ago, the church premises the school was using was deemed unfit for school operations. The search began. When they heard about an old closed down school in Kromdraai, and after going out to it a couple of times, they quickly fell in love.
Parents voted, and a large enough majority gave their go-ahead to move the school. A school bus was bought to transport children from Roodepoort and Krugersdorp to the Kromdraai school.
The buildings, with the monument by the front gate, a meteor that landed in the field which is now the school’s rugby field, and historical wagon trails preserved in cement makes this area an interesting historical space. The charm and intrigue of the school is felt the moment you walk between the buildings.
“What makes our school different is the opportunity for city kids to experience the agricultural life. We have a garden and some animals, and we’re growing over time,” Principal Jaqueline Freise noted. “It’s quiet here and the air feels cleaner. It’s an amazing space to teach our children in both English and Afrikaans, while following strong Christian values.”
The school follows the CAPS Curriculum (Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements) set forth by the Department, which means that their classes are up to standard with other schools. This also means that children can move over to any high school if they wish, or go on to university one day.
Right now, the school is still growing, and will only be accepting pre-school and Grade R to Grade 9 learners in 2020. Their plan is to grow with the children they have until they reach a matric group, and start accepting Grade 12 learners from there on.
